After giving her a few minutes to try again, I go back to the testing center only to find that she still hasn't been able to download my test. She asks if I want to reschedule, and I say no, I really want to take the test today. I ask if there is anything she can do, and she says she can call the testing provider to see if there is a problem on their end. Long story short, she calls them and finds out that the problem is, indeed, on her end. And since this is Saturday, there are no technical support people there to help her get it fixed. And, since it is Saturday, the testing provider's offices are closed. She says that she will log a problem report with the testing provider that will allow me to reschedule the test.

I ask if I can use a computer to check the testing company's Web site. I go to the testing provider's site and print out the list of all of the testing centers in the area. I go back out to the car and start dialing. I end up calling all of the testing centers in the area, most of which are closed on Saturday. I even call my favorite testing center in Roseville, but they are still completely booked. They suggest another testing center in Sacramento, though, which is actually in the Executive Airport, which is located a little south of downtown Sacramento. I call them and they couldn't be nicer or more helpful. They say they have a slot at 3:00 that afternoon that's mine for the taking. I say great, and book it as if I were a fresh reservation, knowing I'll have to call on Monday to get a refund for the first testing fee.

Now, the route to the testing center doesn't necessarily take me through the nicest of neighborhoods. In case you think I'm being a little snobby, you should know that when I watch the news that night, one of the top stories is about a shooting that happened on the on-ramp I had used just a few hours earlier when returning from my test. Still, it's really interesting to take the exam there because it is indeed in the middle of a small working airport.

What was the result? I passed, of course. You don't think I would write this if I didn't, do you? Didn't you have faith in me? I'm telling this story because certification is important and valuable to your career. And I firmly believe that if something is important, you do it no matter what it takes, even if it's frustrating or inconvenient. So get out there and get certified!

Now that you've heard my story of the day I took my test, let me tell you about some of the ways that I prepared for it. First of all, I think it can be said that I started preparing for this test all the way back when I took my first WebSphere course from TLCC (http://www.tlcc.com) last year called "Introduction to WebSphere 4.0 for Domino Developers." This course has since been updated for version 5 of WebSphere and now includes specific material designed to help you pass test 285.